


Toujours Noir

by the_purple_black



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Azkaban, Black Family (Harry Potter) - Freeform, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Child Abuse, Childhood, Death Eaters, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, First War with Voldemort, Hogwarts, Origin Story, Post-First War with Voldemort, Pregnancy, Romance, Second War with Voldemort, Sisters, Slytherin, The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-22 06:10:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15575499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_purple_black/pseuds/the_purple_black
Summary: Starting from the day a young Bellatrix Black first becomes a sister Toujours Noir follows Bellatrix, Andromeda and then Narcissa throughout their lives. From the relative innocence of their childhood to the war that eventually tore them all apart. Mature rating for later chapters





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this story was first posted on another site way back in 2016. It wasn't the best of stories and after getting to chapter 21 I basically forgot to update it for over a year. Looking back on the story there is a fair few things wrong with it, a fair few things I wanted to add/change and just improve it in general.
> 
> At the moment I have up to chapter 23 written, I will edit and upload each chapter again separately and there may be at least a few days between some of the chapters getting uploaded but I hope the result of this is a much better story and not one that makes me cringe a bit when I read some of the older chapters. I won't be changing the main gist of the story, if you've already read this story previously on the other site the main events will stay relatively the same. I am simply editing, adding and hopefully improving the story as I go.
> 
> So, enjoy this first rewrite chapter. Please do leave a comment if you have a moment as I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> The Purple Black

Bellatrix Black was the perfect two-year-old. Well, that was her opinion anyway, not many other people were likely to agree but in her young mind, she didn't care, she was too young to understand that she was not exactly the perfect daughter her parents had hoped she would be. She was in one sense everything she needed to be to her family; a Pureblood. From birth she was told she was special, purely because of the pure blood that ran through her veins. Though as she grew older, when her personality began to show as she could run, play and grasp the concept of speech, her parents quickly realised she was not the perfect obedient child they had hoped she would be. The mere fact she was not a male heir to carry on the name of the House of Black was not the only disappointment she had given them. She was already a handful, hard to discipline, stubborn in her own right and a perfect example of 'the terrible twos'. It was something that her parents had little patience for.

The small raven-haired child sat in the nursery on her own, a china doll replica of herself staring up at her dark eyes as she twisted the thing's hair around her small fingers. But the doll didn't move, it didn't do anything but stare up at her with its glassy stare. Bellatrix craved attention, something her plaything was not giving her. Her mother had told her to stay in the nursery, to play quietly and leave the adults to their tea, but that was boring. She let out a small huff, pulling herself to her feet and hitting down the ruffled skirt of her frilly green dress she turned to stare at the door. She slowly walked over to the doorknob, letting out another huff as she frowned at the unusually high door knob as at a mere two and a half foot tall she could barely reach the thing (which was probably her parent's intentions). She jumped a few times, trying to reach the thing despite the hopelessness of the task before she finally let out a frustrated yell of annoyance.

Bellatrix jumped back in shock as the door swung open violently, ready to see her parents coming to tell her off for trying to disobey their orders. But as she shook her head ready to yell that she wasn't going anywhere she realised that there was no-one there. She frowned for a moment, cautiously sticking her head out of the door before a large grin broke out on her face and she jumped out of the nursery, not once thinking that it had been her that had opened the door.

She stopped, looking both ways down the corridor as she tried to decide which direction to go in. It was at that moment in time that she heard the dulcet tones of her father carrying down the long corridor from the main sitting room. Yes, it would probably be wise to stay away from the adults when she was supposed to be hidden in her nursery, to find attention elsewhere (perhaps she could pester the house elf) but Bella was a rebellious child even at such a young age and her curiosity was peaked.

Bella looked down to her dolly, putting her finger on the china dolls lips and making a shushing shape with her mouth before she tip-toed off towards the sound of her parents. Stopping outside the door of the room she now knew the adults to be hiding in.

"You're due soon, aren't you Druella?" the older woman's voice carried out of the room.

Bellatrix wrinkled her nose, it was her Aunt Walburga. Of all of the relatives the young girl had met she had already decided she didn't like her, though Bellatrix didn't like most people very much. But after an incident where Aunt Walburga had pointed out her 'lack of proper posture' to her mother, pushing her shoulder and watching the girl fall over as if proving her point, she had held a particular disdain for her. Her mother had not exactly been happy with her when she had left Grimmauld place that day, unconcerned by the cries of her child as she hit the floor with a thud and more concerned with the fact that she had tried to push the woman straight back.

"Yes, actually I will be 40 weeks next week."

Bellatrix leant against the wall, sliding down to sit with her back against the panelled oak as she sat her doll in her lap. Her mother had been mentioning weeks for a little while now, each week declaring another week as if it was some big deal. She had tried to join in, proudly declaring a number of weeks when her mother had done, though the woman merely rolled her eyes and told her she was wrong.

"Yes, well a Black comes when they want to come." Orion laughed.

"That they will, that they will." Cygnus Black said, a small hint of amusement in his voice.

Bellatrix stood up at the sound of her Uncle's voice, curious to see who else was in there she walked over to the door and peered through the keyhole. She could just about see her parents with their backs towards her, her Aunt Walburga, Uncle Orion and the feet of a fifth adult sat on the armchair.

"What names have you thought of?" Aunt Walburga asked.

"Well," Druella took a deep breath as she spoke, "we're decided on Phineas for a boy."

"Naming from the family tree, of course." Orion nodded.

"Yes, but what if you have another girl, brother?" Alphard Black spoke, a hint of smugness in his voice.

"Andromeda," Cygnus said matter of factly. "Don't you look so smug, Alphard. You're yet to even find a wife."

Alphard laughed slightly "I'm happy to live my life with no strings attached at the moment, let you four carry on the Black name for now."

"It's your duty as a Pureblood-" Orion was cut short, he already seemed annoyed.

"Yes yes, I know, to carry on the bloodline." Alphard seemed bored "I'll get around to it one day . . . maybe."

Bella had decided Uncle Alphard was different, not like the rest of the adults. He was one of the few Blacks that had something called a 'job' he worked at the Ministry, something to do with talking to Centaurs (Bellatrix could only remember he did something related to Centaurs as he had recently given her an enchanted toy Centaur for Christmas, which was much to her parents' displeasure as the figurine proceeded to run around the room and shoot arrows into a tapestry. Bellatrix found it hilarious, running after it with joyous glee until her father decided it was not suited and confiscated the toy).

As the adults droned on about what she decided was boring and uninteresting matters Bella decided she had had enough. She stepped away from the keyhole and looked down to her doll, pondering where to go next. It was at that exact moment that the house elf appeared behind her, causing her to fall flat on her bum with a yelp of surprise.

"Stupid elf!" Bellatrix screeched from the floor, it was something she had heard her mother yell many times and was now an instinct for her. She didn't even think about the fact that her cover was now blown.

"Dingle is sorry; Dingle did not mean to frighten Mistress Bellatrix." The small elf whimpered, averting his gaze as the door Bellatrix had previously been leaning on opened.

"Bellatrix!" Cygnus Black snapped at the girl "What are you doing? How did you get out of the Nursery?"

"The door . . ." The answer seemed painfully obvious to the small child, though from the scowl on her father's face she realised it wasn't the right answer.

"Don't be insolent, how did you open that door? It was locked and you can't reach the handle." Cygnus Black was not amused.

"Oh don't be so harsh on the girl, Cygnus." Alphard sighed.

"Magic?" Bellatrix grinned, it seemed to be answer enough for most of the things she asked her parents so was an automatic response for her.

Cygnus Black stared at the young girl for a few moments before he turned to his family with a smug grin on his face, coming to the conclusion that this was the only logical explanation "Ha! Two years old and already doing magic."

Bellatrix walked over to her mother, the large woman currently smirking where she sat. Bella didn't really understand what was going on with her mother recently. She was usually really skinny and always on her feet doing something or another but now she was really _really_ fat and always sitting down.

"Well done, Bellatrix." Alphard smiled at the girl.

Bellatrix stared at the man for a few moments before a quick nudge of her mothers' foot in her back reminded her of her manners "Thank you . . ."

As the small girl sat up on the seat next to her mother she soon regretted her decision to sneak out of the nursery, it was far more boring sitting in and listening to the adults talk and though she considered getting up for a moment her mother's hand was soon on her knee. She was sure she'd been sat between her mother and father for hours if not days when she was finally carried to her bed and put to sleep.

It was hours later she was awoken in the middle of the night to the sound of an almighty scream.

Her eyes snapped open as she quickly pulled the covers over her head. Was it a banshee? She was sure it was a banshee, her Uncle Alphard had only told her about them recently in an old storybook. You died if you heard a banshee, didn't you? Bellatrix didn't want to die . . . but she was Bellatrix Black. She wasn't scared of _anything_.

"Go away! I'm trying to _sleep_!" the child yelled at the banshee she could not see.

After a few more moments of silence, there was another scream . . . Maybe it was okay to be a tiny bit scared . . . Maybe . . .

Bellatrix Black didn't sleep much at all that night. When she did finally drift off to sleep it felt like no time at all had passed when the wretched house elf was stood over her bed, waking her.

"Mistress, Mistress you need to wake up. Your mother and father have requested you." Dingle squeaked.

With a groan Bellatrix threw the duvet off of her, sliding out of her bed. She rubbed her eyes as she walked over to her door letting out one mighty yawn.

"'Kay." Bellatrix mumbled before she stumbled down the hallway under the elf's guidance, the journey to her parents' bedroom seemed to take forever as she wished she could crawl back into her bed.

She stopped outside her parents' door, ready to push it open before she heard an unfamiliar sound, she couldn't understand what it was but it was quickly stopped by the sound of her mother shushing. With a frown she pushed on the door, huffing and trying again when it would not budge.

"Bellatrix . . ." Cygnus shook his head as the girl fell flat on her face as he opened the door with ease before he picked her up into his arms, walking over to her mother "Meet Andromeda."

Bellatrix frowned with confusion as she was set down on the bed "What's that?"

" _That_ is your little sister, Bellatrix." Druella looked to her firstborn daughter.

"Oh . . . don't want a sister." Bellatrix said matter-of-factly "Take her back."

"No." Druella did not look amused "She is your younger sister, Bellatrix. She's here to stay. Forever."

Bellatrix frowned as she looked down at the bundle of blankets, she reached out as under her mothers' watchful eye she pulled the blanket away slightly to see the small baby looking up at her. She'd heard of babies before . . . seen one or two . . . they were loud and messy and didn't do much. Andromeda looked nice enough though, she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as the baby girl grabbed her fingers. She pulled them away after a few moments.

"No. _My_ fingers." Bella frowned.

Andromeda Black whimpered as she looked at her sister, her lower lip wobbled for a few moments before she was all out screaming. Bellatrix covered her ears for a few moments before she decided enough was enough and she placed her hand on the child's' mouth. The screaming was muffled for a split second before Druella pushed Bellatrix right off the bed.

"Bellatrix, no!" Druella snarled at the girl as she began shushing the child again.

She received a swift smack around her head as Cygnus glared down at her "Go to your room and stay there."

Bellatrix Black stormed out of the room and ran back to her bed, crying in her pain as tears fell down her cheeks. Bellatrix wasn't sure she liked the new addition to the Black family.


	2. Only Mudbloods Cry

Bellatrix Black was scowling at her mother as she pulled the silk green dress over her head, puffing out her netted underskirt.

"Don't look at me like that, Bellatrix. It's not ladylike." Druella flicked her wand, the young girl hissing as her hair tightly platted itself and wrapped around her head. "You have to be good today, Bellatrix. The Lestrange family are coming over to take afternoon tea with us, they have a son a year older than you so you're expected to keep him company."

"But I don't want to." Bellatrix glared for a few moments before her mother placed her hand on her shoulder, she gasped at the shock of pain at as dark magic pulsed through her for a few seconds.

"Behave and act like a proper pureblood child or else you'll be punished." Druella raised an eyebrow at her daughter, the young girl now sniffling as tears sprung to her eyes "No, you don't cry. Mudbloods cry, you're a pureblood."

Bella bit her lip, swatting away her tears of pain as she forced herself to nod, quickly rubbing her shoulder as her mother let go of her. The pop of the house elf arriving sounded next to her, giving her a new object to glare at.

"Mistresses, The Lestrange family are here. Dingle has shown them to the garden as instructed, Master Black is waiting." Dingle bowed and left yet again.

"Come on, Bellatrix." Druella took the young girls hand, walking from the room and to the youngest Black's nursery "Behave and forMerlin'ss sake smile."

Bellatrix forced a polite look onto her face as she watched her mother bend over the crib, taking out the now seven month old Andromeda Black. She couldn't help but be slightly jealous as she watched her mother smile down at the small babe, holding her close and kissing her head as the little baby giggled up at her. The nearly three-year-old never seemed to get any affection from her parents yet for some reason her tiny little sister was loved by all. It wasn't fair.

Andromeda giggled in her mother's arms as they walked out together into the grounds of Black Manor, Bellatrix instinctively stood slightly behind her mother as she assessed the situation in front of her before deciding where to go.

Mrs Lestrange smiled as she looked to the baby in Druellas arms "Oh this must be Andromeda, how beautiful and Bellatrix, you look very lovely."

Bella stared at the woman as she tried to place her strange accent, only remembering her mothers warning as she felt her mothers foot digging into her own underneath her robes "Thank you."

"This is Rodolphus, Bellatrix." Mr Lestrange rested his hand on his sons' shoulder as he gently moved him towards the young girl.

She didn't know what to make of the little boy, he seemed a little bit older than her and just as bored as her to be there as he forced a slight smile. The little boy had black hair and dark eyes, he was wearing dark green and black robes that in Bellas opinion looked rather silly on such a small boy.

"Bellatrix, why don't you show Rodolphus around the grounds." Cygnus Black looked to his daughter.

She considered telling her father no, she didn't want to go play with the strange looking boy, though if she had learned anything in her nearly three short years of life it was that if she denied her parents request there would be punishment-even more so if she misbehaved in front of other people. With a small nod Bellatrix walked off, Rodolphus soon following behind her. She took him far into the grounds, only stopping when she knew she was out of her parents' sight and sitting behind a large white rose bush. Rodolphus sat opposite her, staring at her in silence.

"What?" Bellatrix narrowed her eyes "How old are you?"

"Three." Rodolphus replied bluntly.

"I'm gonna be three soon . . ." Bella looked behind her before she looked back to the boy "Have you done magic yet?"

"Yes . . ." Rodolphus frowned "You're a bit rude."

"I am not!" Bella glared " _You're_ rude."

Rodolphus shook his head, standing up. Bella also got to her feet, looking at him with an air of annoyance that looked almost comedic on a girl of her age.

"Where are you going?" she demanded.

The little boy sighed dramatically "To have fun."

Rodolphus walked away from the girl, though she was quickly following straight behind him, curious to see where he would go. They walked down to the bottom of the grounds, Bellatrix in a silent strop as Rodolphus rolled his eyes, stopping at the pond at the bottom of the garden. Bellatrix looked to the small boy for a few moments before with a sigh she pulled off her shoes, sitting back down on the grass and sticking her toes into the water.

"Aren't you going to take off your tights?" Rodolphus frowned.

"No," Bella kicked her feet in the water, laughing as Rodolphus jumped back to stop himself being splashed. "What's so fun about sitting by the pond?"

Rodolphus smirked for a few moments before he screwed up his face in concentration reaching his hands out to the water. Bellatrix frowned in confusion before she realised what he was trying to do as a ball of water lifted from the water, flying high up into the air before he dropped it, creating an all mighty splash in the pond that covered Bellatrix in water.

"You idiot!" Bellatrix stood up, glaring furiously.

Rodolphus looked at her for a few moments before he burst into laughter, the furious glare looking anything but threatening on the young Black girl. Bellatrix barely thought about the magic she was using when she stuck out her hand above the water, causing a flurry of water to rise out of the pond and chase after Rodolphus. The two toddlers were soaked as Rodolphus looked at Bella in shock, she was smirking. This was war.

By the time the two toddlers were discovered by Cygnus Black they were running around the pond, soaked head to toe and laughing insanely as they continued to throw water from the pond at each other.

"Bellatrix!" Cygnus growled as he stormed over to his daughter, grabbing her by the scruff of the neck "What on earth are you playing at!?"

Rodolphus eyes widened as he looked up at Bellas father "M-Mr Black I'm sorry I- "

"No, Rodolphus, it's not your fault." With a flick of his wand, Cygnus dried the two toddlers "Your parents are leaving, you should go back to them."

Rodolphus nodded before running off to find his parents, glancing back at the two Blacks one last time before he disappeared into the distance. Once he was finally out of sight Bellatrix Black felt an all mighty whack hit her over the head, it took all her strength not to cry.

"Go to your room. Now." Cygnus let go of the girl, walking off in the direction Rod had gone.

Bella glared after her father for a few moments before she decided to storm off to her room. She purposely avoided going anywhere near the adults as she went back into the manor. She made her way to the second floor as she furiously mumbled to herself, when she heard the noise coming from Andromeda's nursery. The door was slightly ajar as the small whimpers of the child floated out into the corridor.

She looked both ways, making sure there were no adults around before she slipped into the room.

"Andromeda, be quiet." Bella walked up to the crib, the seven-month-old was whimpering, near tears "No, stop it."

Andromeda turned her head towards the noise of her sister, her whimpering calming slightly. With a nod, Bella decided it was okay to leave. Unfortunately, Andromeda had other ideas as the minute she turned to go the child's whimpers grew louder.

"Andromeda . . ." Bella groaned.

The baby reached out for her sister, her lower lip trembling as tears threatened. Bella sighed as she looked to the changing table next to the cot, after a few moments of thought she climbed up onto the table. She was determined not to let her the girl cry, her mother surely wouldn't be happy with another little girl crying.

"I'm coming, shush." Bella sighed as she made it to the top of the changing table "Move over."

Bella carefully lowered herself into the cot, she stopped to stare at the whimpering baby before she sat down next to her. She almost jumped a mile in shock as the girl ended up all out crying.

"No, don't!" Bella stared wide-eyed, regretting her decision to get into the crib instantly. She was sure if her parents discovered her sat there they would think that she had made the little girl cry and then they would both surely be in trouble. She panicked and reached her hand out to the crying baby "Here, have my hand, you like my hand."

Andromeda's cries lessened slightly, as her big sister put her hand on her own, looking to the little girl curiously for a moment as her cries slowly began to lessen.

"See, you shouldn't cry. Mudbloods cry, you're not a mudblood, you're a pureblood—like me." Bella laid herself next to the child in the cot, smiling slightly as the babe gripped tightly onto her fingers. Both sisters fell asleep together for the first time that day. It was in that moment, curled up beside her little sister as she gripped onto her fingers with one hand and reached out for her curls with the other, that Bellatrix Black decided her younger sister wasn't that bad after all.


	3. Chapter 3

 

"Bella!" Andromeda grinned as her sister entered the nursery, a small smile on the four-year-olds lips as she walked over to the nearly two-year-old girl.

"Hello, Dromeda," Bella said, moving to sit next to her younger sister on the floor as she looked around the room at the vast assortment of toys.

"Are we gonna play?" Dromeda grinned.

"Not today," Bella said as she pushed away the doll her sister was attempting to hand to her.

With a pout, the small child whined, frowning as she looked down at her small doll as if her sister may have harmed it "Why not?"

"Don't whine . . ." Bella looked around the room for a few moments before she decided she was already bored, standing and getting ready to leave the room.

"Bella!" Andromeda Black ran up to her elder sister "Where are you going?"

"Anywhere. As long as it's far away from mother." Bella mumbled as she walked down the corridor, the two-year-old running after her.

"Why?" Dromeda frowned.

"Because she's _pregnant_. She's already started screaming again—father silenced the room this time." Bella answered matter-of-factly as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"Mother's having a baby." Andromeda nodded as she followed her out into the warm August air of the gardens.

Bella sighed, going to sit on a small patch of grass next to a particularly large rose bush. Andromeda frowned at her sister before she went and sat in front of her, folding her arms as she tried to figure out what on earth had gotten into her big sister.

"What?" Bella spat at her.

"I- . . . you're sad." Dromeda uncrossed her arms with a sigh.

"No I'm not." Bella glared at the lake in front of her.

"Mad?" Dromeda frowned, tilting her head slightly as she looked to the girl.

"I'm fine!" Bellatrix snapped, glaring at her sister.

Andromeda looked at her sister curiously, for all of the attempts the four-year-old made to scare her sister into leaving her alone at times it never seemed to work. In Andromeda's eyes her sister could be anything but scary to her. She was naughty, she knew that much. She _tried_ to be scary. Andromeda did _think_ that Bellatrix had scared her parents a few times, though every time they screamed her name after she had done something their shock instantly turned to anger. She didn't understand why they were angry. Andromeda thought her sister was great, her one and only friend.

The younger girl gave a deep sigh before she crawled forward, resting her head on her sisters shoulder as she hugged her ". . . Okay. But don't be sad . . . or mad."

After a few moments hesitation Bellatrix hugged her back, rolling her eyes with a smile as the little girl gave her a squeeze "I'm not, Andy . . ." she pulled back slightly to smile at her, "Want to play in the maze?"

Andy nodded, grinning as she pulled away from her sister and ran for the maze at the bottom of the garden, giggling as her little legs carried her towards the vast greenery. Bella couldn't help but laugh at her sister trying to move as quickly as she could on her little legs, she soon jumped up and ran after her.

* * *

"She's okay, I suppose." Bella sighed as Rodolphus asked about her newest sister.

Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus Lestrange had been brought over by their parents and left to play with the elder Black sisters as they discussed 'important matters'. Narcissa Black was just over a month old now and Andromeda and Bellatrix had only seen their sister a few times. The blonde haired baby was mainly kept in her own nursery and away from her sisters, Cygnus had told Bellatrix that she wasn't to be trusted around young babies after the way she had covered Andromeda's mouth as a baby. Bella thought this was ridiculous considering she could barely remember doing this and she wasn't an idiot. Andromeda was far more trusted but much preferred to stay with Bella rather than be alone with her parents and the small child.

"My father showed me the birth announcement," Rodolphus said, the five-year-old frowning slightly as he looked to the two black sisters, "she's blonde."

"Well done, Lestrange. You know your hair colours." Bella rolled her eyes.

"Yes," Rodolphus shook his head, unphased by Bellatrix's attempts to tease him "but your parents aren't blonde."

"Father said it's the Rosier side." Andy nodded as she looked to the blonde boy "Apparently—" Andromeda frowned in concentration as she tried to remember what her father had said "Mothers . . . Mother . . . Our grandmother had blonde hair when she was younger."

Rodolphus gave a small nod before he looked to the younger Black sister "Well, my father said—"

"No one cares _what your father said_ , Rodolphus." Bellatrix hissed in annoyance.

Andromeda simply sighed and looked to her older sister with a warning look.

"What?" Bella raised an eyebrow, a comedic look on the young girl.

"Don't be mean, Bella." Andromeda sighed "You'll upset Lucius."

"He's fine," Rodolphus shrugged, looking to the one-year-old boy happily pushing a small wooden train back and forth.

"Why do we have to look after him, anyway?" Bellatrix huffed, "He's boring."

"Mother said so," Andromeda shrugged.

"Mother admitted he was boring?" Bellatrix grinned, letting out a small laugh as she noticed even Rodolphus cracked a smile at her joke.

" _No!_ " Andromeda groaned. Letting out a huff as she stood up and walked over to the child, patting his head gently "It's okay Lucius, ignore them." Andromeda cooed.

"Mean." Bellatrix giggled, "It's rude to ignore people."

"She has a point," Rodolphus shrugged.

Andromeda gave the pair a look, her mouth opening and closing for a moment before she shook her head, "I'm not rude."

"No," Bellatrix agreed, "you're _perfect._ "

"Good . . ." Andromeda nodded, not noticing her sisters teasing tone before she went back to entertaining the younger boy.

Bellatrix looked to Rodolphus, the pair staring at each other in silence for a moment before Rodolphus jumped to his feet without warning.

"Come on," Rodolphus said as he walked towards the door.

"Where are we going?" Bellatrix asked, standing to her feet though making no move to walk any closer to the boy.

"Mother said stay here," Andromeda said.

"We could . . . or we could explore," Rodolphus shrugged.

"There's nothing to explore," Bellatrix shook her head.

"Maybe to you there isn't," Rodolphus grinned, opening the door to the nursery.

Bellatrix hesitated for a moment, looking from each of her fellows. The idea of following Rodolphus did seem far more appealing than staying in a room with two toddlers. A mischievous grin lit up her features as she ran over to Rod.

"Bella!" Andromeda gasped, "Mother said—!"

"I'll be fine," Bellatrix shrugged, " _you_ stay."

With that Bellatrix escaped from the room, Rodolphus was waiting for her a few steps away from the door with a boyish smirk on his features.

"So, where are we going?" Bellatrix asked.

"It's your house . . ." Rodolphus shrugged ". . . Where's your room?"

"Why my room?" Bellatrix frowned "You said you wanted to explore, I know what's in _my room_."

"I don't." Rodolphus said, "Show me."

With a huff Bellatrix nodded and walked off to her room, Rodolphus looking around curiously as the few occupants of the portraits watched them boredly.

"Bellatrix!" Cygnus snapped as the little girl rounded a corner, her eyes widening as she was met with the man's glare, though as she froze to the spot she watched his look soften slightly, "and Rodolphus . . . you two were told to stay in the nursery."

"I'm sorry, sir," Rodolphus said, "Bellatrix was just going to show me to her room."

"You should know better, Bellatrix," Cygnus narrowed his eyes at the girl, ignoring the child as she went to protest, "Rodolphus, your parents are leaving. Why don't you go down to them? Can you find your way?"

"Yes, sir," Rodolphus nodded, before turning and saying his goodbyes to the little girl and leaving for his parents.

Bellatrix was glaring at the boy, watching him leave she did not realise the footsteps of her father behind her before she cried out in shock at the sharp clout to her head.

"Learn to behave!" Cygnus boomed down at the small child as she held back a glare.

"He suggested leaving!" Bellatrix protested.

"Don't lie," Cygnus rolled his eyes, grabbing the girls hand as he half dragged her down towards the nursery "you're the misbehaved one, girl."

She ignored the man, knowing it was useless arguing any sense into him, she let him pull her through the manor as he took her back to the nursery. Mrs Malfoy had apparently already collected Lucius and Druella had just arrived with baby Narcissa. Andromeda ignored the pair as she walked over to her mother who had sat down on the rocking chair with their youngest sister. She innocently tugged on her mothers' skirts until Druella obliged, lifting the two-year-old onto her lap. Bellatrix huffed in her annoyance, she never got treatment like that, why was she always the bad one? She wasn't even that 'bad' or 'naughty' in her own opinion. She had half a mind to show them what being naughty truly was . . . though she didn't enjoy the punishments she received.

"She's pretty." Andromeda whispered in amusement at the little blonde baby reaching out for her sisters' hair.

"She's boring." Bellatrix sighed as she sat on the floor, receiving a sharp look of disdain from her father before he left the girls to it.

"When will she be allowed to play with us?" Andromeda asked her mother.

"When she's a little older, Andromeda." Druella smiled as she blatantly ignored the huffing four-year-old on the floor in front of her.

Bellatrix loved her sisters unconditionally, even at that small age, though that did not mean that she was never jealous or resentful of the attention they received in comparison to her. She decided she had had enough of watching the three as she left the nursery in pursuit of a means to entertain herself.

"Mother . . ." Andromeda looked up to Druella, Narcissa now gripping onto her tiny hands with her own "Why is Bella so naughty?"

"I do not know," Druella sighed "she just isn't as obedient or proper as you are, petal. She'll learn one day . . . or learn the hard way."

Andromeda frowned, unsure of what her mother meant by learning 'the hard way' and she was unsure she wanted to know. She simply decided to curl into her mother as she cooed her baby sister to sleep in her other arm.


End file.
